HEALTH'Sass

New blog--come on over!

2009-03-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

HA went all of one day and part of another and then someone said--well, now what? My buds at the NYT blogs sort of encouraged me to start a new site on how to cope with the "You Know." It's called Do the Hopey Copey. No expensive pix--will make do with what I have or people will let me have. And you can write a post if you want to. Come on over. Hey, a chance to do free work--does it get any better?

Click! http://hopeycopey.blogspot.com

Ack--time to put this out of its misery?

2009-02-15T10:57:00.001-08:00

...HA's sister doesn't even go to this blog. Your sister HAS to go to your blog.

...Same for my best friend.

...The pix cost a buck a day and we are all going down the toity moneywise.

...HA could do it without pix. Does anyone care? Anyone out there?

...Bueller? BUELLER?

...How pathetic is this?

..Advice?

...HA ran this two days ago--apparently no advice, no readers, so parting is such...a necessity.

...Don't take any counterfeit pills, or any pills you can avoid, really. Read studies. Question doctors. Look them up before you go there.

...And please take care of yourselves.

...If anyone is reading this...that is.

Tracking grandma

2009-02-13T05:53:00.000-08:00

…HA’s mother can’t remember a lick, but is fully mobile. At one facility, she did get out a locked front door. Should we LoJack her?

…Writing in the WSJ, Feb 10, 2009, Philip Shishkin talks about “search-and-rescue” technology.

…Seriously, LoJack has come up with a radio-based locator for people.

…Some 18,000 people are using a wristband system by a competitor.

…That leaves 5.2 million people with Alzheimer’s and a raft of autistic kids as a possible market.

…The newspapers do occasionally run a story of a kid or old person lost or dying of the cold.

…One sheriff in Illinois even raised money over 5 years to get the equipment for 11 people in his community.

…He says he did it to save time—each search took 10-12 hours.

…Each company says its product is better—no interference from wild animals also wearing a device, one bragged. No interference from TV channels, said another.

…Wild animals near a runaway old person? Hmmmm, this might be worth a gander.

Do you feel lucky? Here comes stevia

2009-02-12T05:49:00.000-08:00

…Have you seen the commercial—sprinkle your coffee with something other than guilt?

…The guilt would come from that sugar thing—you know, sugar, ruins your immune system, causes or makes diabetes worse, makes you fat, won’t take out the trash—you know sugar??! The BAD thing.

…Meredith Cohn, Baltimore Sun, Feb 9, 2009, writes about the newest sugar substitute on the block-stevia, marketed as Truvia. It was approved by the FDA in December.

…Stevia comes from a South American plant and has been eaten for decades in Japan, among other places.

…Still, the FDA banned it because they weren’t sure it was safe.

…Then Cargill convinced the feds that they had new tests.

…Just because it’s from a plant doesn’t make it safe—so is belladonna, hemlock, and other poisons.

…Some substitutes, scientists point out, are sweeter, meaning people use less, making them “safer.”

…Like everything else, moderation is key. Would you scarf up some jungle plant like mad?

…HA might eat sugar cane, though—and she uses sugar. Honey is also delish and has been around awhile.

Tinnitus-eeeeee

2009-02-11T05:32:00.000-08:00

…There is never a shortage of sucky stuff you can get, is there? The human body in its infinite variations.

…Maye Clinic Women’s Health Source says 10-15% of adults have prolonged ringing, whistling, hissing or whooshing sounds in their ears.

…This is tinnitus. It’s related to age-related hearing loss. Loud noises (remember, sitting by all those speakers?) can also cause it. Earwax can also build up and cause it.

…It’s persistent and hard to treat. But not serious.

…Recently, the New York Times Well Blog did a thread on it—people wrote they had been living with it for decades, in some instances.

…Wearing a hearing aid can help. The brain will process external sounds first.

…Wearing earplugs when operating noisy machines.

…Avoiding caffeine, nicotine, and decongestants.

…Turn on a fan or other background noise.

…Use behavioral relaxation techniques to cut stress.

..And, of course, some docs recommend sedatives or antidepressants if the noises are keeping you up.

…HA gets this every so often, like a pause in sounds, then a high-pitched tone for several seconds.

…In her case—no pill.

What if your doctor...

2009-02-10T06:02:00.000-08:00

…What if your doctor knew who you were, knew the specialists he or she referred you to, asked what the specialists said or coordinated care with them after you went---HA knows this sounds wildly unlikely to many readers (including her), but what if…

…UnitedHealth Group tried to test such a model in Florida—where your primary doctor was your medical home base—but the doctors said no. They hated United, so no go.

…Now, according to the NYT, in a story by Reed Abelson (Feb 7, 2009), IBM is pushing a new test in Arizona.

…Doctors will get more authority and more money for doing things with no codes, such as following patients who go to specialists, have chronic conditions, or even go to the hospital.

…The idea seems to be that by taking care of the person, extra services can be avoided.

…IBM was not happy with the care their employees were getting—care which went up in price every year.

…The idea is to reward effective care, not just the procedures done.

…Besides the usual payments docs will get a yearly management fee. Details are secret, but this could up the take in a practice by 30%.

…Of course, there are bugs in it—to be worked out by project’s end in 2011. No---not that kind of bugs. Those are the ones they are trying to prevent or cure.

Are you up for ED?

2009-02-09T05:39:00.000-08:00

…First, in the interests of full disclosure, HA knew a guy who had a penile implant, though she herself never saw it or could judge its…functionality. He said the surgery hurt a LOT.

…Since Bob Dole started in about erectile dysfunction, men are more open about it.

…More open? Heck, they take baths outside (what is UP with that?) and sing about their virility.

…35 million men take the little blue pill—and others of other hues.

…And they also submit to that surgery, whether they have a wife or girlfriend or not—perhaps hoping to land one.

…Perhaps there is something short of surgery that would help.

…First, stop smoking, the docs say. Diabetes and high BP are the worst for slowing blood flow to the hydraulics, but smoking can also cause unexpected problems. Once you quit, though, don’t break out the bubbly and incense right away—it takes up to two years for things to normalize.

…Keep cholesterol under control—over 240 and you have twice as much chance of an embarrassing moment.

…Fat tissue converts the male hormone testosterone to estrogen—meaning lose weight.

…According to some sources, namely PETA, eating meat can cut performance. Evidence is skimpy.

…If all this fails, maybe porn…

…Joking…joking. Of course, a close, intimate relationship with everything out in the open feelings-wise and much discussion thereof, is preferable.

Home can be terrible place to keep your teen

2009-02-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

…Everyone knows teenage brains are only half formed (everyone with a teen, that is). Teens also are contagious—they transmit insanity.

…A recent study at the Univ of Alabama Birmingham looked at the homes of 42 teens.

…29% of those cozy abodes had firearms. 18% of those were loaded.

…31% had alcohol that wasn’t locked up.

…21% had exposed electrical cords (uh., what? Who doesn’t?)

…6% had fireworks.

…Teens often drive recklessly. They try anything they can smoke or swallow.

…More than 30% of teen fatal injuries occur at home!

…And—HA might add—if they make it through the teen years, they may or may not leave—and either way, they cost money and heartache. You’re lucky if it’s just money.

Job hunting depression-style

2009-02-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

…Nick Wingfield and Pui-Wing Tam, writing in the WSJ, Feb 3, 2009, say being unemployed in the electronic age is different than in past depr…uh, recessions.

…The great dispossessed sit around in their jammies and play internet games instead of going to the movies as people did in simpler downturns.

…”It’s not soap operas and chocolate,” said one. It’s cheaper.

…Social anesthesia. Escape for those “steeped in anxiety.”

…Online gambling and games—up, up, up.

…Gossip Perez Hilton is swamped with hits. Escape, escape!

…Social sites are also enjoying a lot of traffic.

…People twitter their tiny little elevator pitches.

…People also do blogs about being unemployed—and of course, people who might hire them can read those. Capitalize that MIGHT.

…As a freelancer, HA looks for a job every day of her life. Take it from her—you can’t just post your res on Monster and wait for the offers to cascade in.

…Put a little hustle in it.

…But just in case, keep up your health, say with a certain site.

Good for you and not yucky, too

2009-02-04T05:56:00.000-08:00

…When you think of a heart diet, do you think of low-salt, bland? HA is such a goober, she does.

…February is you-know-what month (HA hates those month things). FoodieView.com has ponied up 130,000 recipes that are good for your ticker. Or at least won’t swath it in yellow globules and stuff up the pipes.

…Go to the site and enter “heart healthy.”

…You can even sign up for a free e-newsletter to vary your diet.

…If you just like to cook in general (and HA has heard about this), you can search FoodieView by ingredient, type of cuisine, diet program, and tons of other variables. Recipes are ranked by user popularity, too.

…The site also has a huge restaurant guide, which polls food critics and normal people, too.

…It’s all about food, after all. HA means life…not just this site.

Help! Emergency? Now what?

2009-02-03T05:41:00.000-08:00

…Our government, in all its brilliance, wants us to get “Ready.” That is the name of a new program…well, new-old, HA has written about having an emergency plan before.

…You are urged to get a kit, make a plan, and be informed.

…Go to http://www.ready.gov/index.html.

…For instance, in the case of an emergency (earthquake, pandemic, attack and so on), who picks up the kids? Is your kids’ school prepared?

…This site also tells you which disasters are most likely to hit which parts of the country. What if you are in a high rise? A car?

…Several people have died of bird flu around the world lately. That is still around.

…Anything can happen.

…The cave-in of the economy was hardly predicted. No plan for that on this site, though.

...We can't even run for the exits.

...HA is chipper today, isn't she? Still, she believes in believing in the worst.

You look mah-velous

2009-02-02T05:57:00.000-08:00

….SpaFinder is riffing about the coming beauty hits.

…We will be broke so we will buy things that serve more than one purpose. Cleanser/toner/scrub mask in one, that sort of thing. (HA uses Maybelline—
blipstick instead of blush--blends in well.)

….Paradoxically, more hotshot facialists will be branding products. Recession, what recession?

…Products will be infused with gold, silver, platinum and gems. The healing energy and all that. (HA is smiling.)

…Antioxidants will be crammed into everything to foil those bad old free radicals.

…Sunscreen is in a cat fight and new studies may emerge. Is it bad for you? Sssssh, stay tuned.

…Laurel sulfate, some goo that makes shampoos suds up, is getting the hairy eyeball, so sudsless shamps may be coming.

…The green stuff, so-called organic products, will also be debated. What’s up with that?

…Hammans are in. This is a Moorish-Mediterranean steam bath…complete with argan oil, myrrh, and black soap. Maybe in YOUR neighborhood.

…Science—meaning studies—will rule when it comes to new products, such as Latisse, approved by the FDA for eyelash growing and a botox competitor called Reloxin.

…And, as ever (from HA, not SpaFinder), hope will trump reality. But it has ever been thus.

Are you on a statin?

2009-01-30T05:56:00.000-08:00

…You know how HA luvvs to exaggerate, so what do you think? Should we all become a nation of pained, limping zombies who can’t remember a lick?

…HA has read so many nice things about anticholesterol, heart enhancing statins her remaining eye is blurring. She has interviewed cardiologists who laugh about how they all take them and joke about it at their meetings. If they get leg pains, they switch to another brand! Gotta have the statins.

…This all goes back to a study of simvastatin in Scandinavia 20 years ago. Of course, a few doctors have timidly ventured that 20 years isn’t a lot of time study-wise.

…Of course, HA also sort of hates studies about studies—where they look at a ton of studies and try to draw common conclusions, but one caught her eye—at Univ of CA San Diego. They looked at 900 studies on the adverse effects of statins. Nine hundred—adverse effects…so there must be SOME adverse effects, right? (American Acad of Cardiovascular Drugs)

…Number one is muscle problems. Then come pain or numbness in the fingers and toes and after that trouble remembering. But tendon problems can also develop and blood glucose can rise.

…To make matters worse, many physicians are not on top of this, the researchers said. They don’t know about, or poohpooh, symptoms.

…At the heart of these drawbacks may be an injury to the body’s energy-producing cells, mitochondria. These produce energy and those free radicals that the antioxidants we all love fight against.

…Ergo, when mitochondrial function is reduced, less energy, and and more free radicals.This comes from blocking Coenzyme Q10—CoQ10—which is blocked along with cholesterol.

…Risk of statins goes up as age goes up and they are not worth the risk, some doctors day, after age 70 or 75. High blood pressure and diabetes are linked with mitochondrial problems. Ergo…statins have a higher risk for those people.

…Not to read like a bad outtake from a biochem textbook—but people vary. Statins protect some people from muscle and kidney and heart rhythm problems—and can worsen risk of those in others.

…Ask questions. Lots.

More on sweet treats

2009-01-29T05:55:00.000-08:00

…Just like people still went to the movies during the other Dep…er, Big Giant Recession, people today still want their candy.

…Hershey, reports the WSJ (Jan 28, 2009), is UP 51%, no bailout needed. Maybe they could name a candy bar Bailout, though.

…The industrialists (do we still have those?) say even on V-Day, the lower end confections will rule.

…Hershey had been duking it out with Mars, which was pushing its “premium” Dove dark chocolates. Hershey did come up with Bliss and helped Starbucks develop some candy.

…Now the “good” stuff is sitting one some grocery shelves and Hershey is sitting pretty.

…A Godiva guy insists they are still happenin’. They sold a lot of $130 assortments at Christmas but also a lot of lower-end candy.

….Lindt (HA’s favorite when she can get it) was up 5.8%, but below projections.

….At Hershey the KitKats and Reese’s are more popular now (despite peanut butter worries).

…Still, their stock is iffy.

…Isn’t everyone’s? Have a KitKat! Isn’t that the takeaway here? Eat candy for tomorrow you shall have no candy?

Whoa--the Sprouts have gone too far

2009-01-28T06:01:00.000-08:00

…Alert, alert….Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos, Tagalongs, and Lemon Chalet Crème Girl Scout cookies are going smaller and/or fewer to the box.

…OK, we can’t sell our houses, we may get laid off any minute, unemployment is running out, the pantry is all peanut butter all the time, the TV is about to punk out, but cut back on cookies? What else do we have?

…”We are talking about a couple of fewer cookies,” tut-tutted one spokesman. Well, we care! We notice!

…Flour is up 30%, they whine. Cocoa, 20%. The Sprouts wanted to keep the price at $4.00 a box or so. Hey, even in 2005, that was 25 cents a cookie—now it will be more!

…About all these scheming youngsters have going for them is that these yummies only come out for a short time once a year—people forget!

…Sort of. Some people.

…Anyhow, the Cadbury egg has also gone on a diet.

…Oh, who cares on that? But Tagalongs?

…If you can’t trust a Girl Scout, we are lost.

…And by the way, HA’s sister and mother were sharing a Mounds the other day and those halves looked pretty light on the old scale, shall we say.

ER or no ER?

2009-01-27T05:12:00.000-08:00

…Nothing like being broke and even with insurance, facing ginormous copays, to make a parent sweat. Should we take the feverish, tossing, whimpering kid over to the ER or not?

…This is not meant to be binding medical advice! But it does come from a hospital. (By the way, hospitals like to say "ED"--for Emergency Dept--but you know how common HA is, so she says ER.)

…If your child is sick, consider calling the doctor. However, sometimes going to the Emergency Room is best. To wit:

….If your baby is younger than a month and has a fever of 100.4 or higher.

…If the baby is not acting right—isn’t looking at you, feels limp or floppy or has a strange cry.

…Turning blue, difficulty breathing. ER or 911!

….If an older child’s temp does not come down below 101 after taking a fever reducer.

…A seizure.

…Suspected urinary infection has to be treated…Think about this if the child is showing pain when going, has to go all the time, or there is a different odor.

…Dry diapers for 12-24 hours can mean dehydration—this can get out of hand quickly.

…Go by your gut—when you think you need to go, go. Worry about the money later.

…When HA’s kid was young, the pediatrician gave us a little photocopied book of what to do when. Do doctors still do that?

Women have harder time refusing "bad" food

2009-01-26T04:35:00.000-08:00

…This is one for The Big Book of Duh. But here we go.

…According to HealthDay reporter Randy Dotinger (Jan 20, 2009), a scientist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in NY did a study to see why some people don’t feel “full” no matter how much they eat (HA has this problem). It’s called satiety. Some people don’t experience it very strongly.

…In the study, which appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team asked 13 women and 10 men about their favorite foods. The list included lasagna, pizza, brownies, ice cream and fried chicken.

….Then they fasted for 20 hours and the favorite dishes, warmed up where appropriate to smell FANTASTIC, were shown to them, although they couldn’t have any.

…While this was happening, they were getting a PET scan of their brains, especially the areas governing “motivation.” Both the men and women tried to make themselves feel less hungry and said they did feel less starving—BUT in the case of the women, the scans showed the same areas firing off anyway.

…The docs said it was probably because women needed not to stop eating because they occasionally would be eating “for two.”

…Still, there is a lot of time when that second little peanut isn’t there—thanks a heap, Nature!

Edible greetings

2009-01-23T05:42:00.000-08:00

…HA saw a commercial for fruit bouquets—so cute! (Pictured, one from www.fruitpetals.com).

…According to Charles Passy (WSJ, Jan 22, 2009), there are many companies that offer thee appealing gifts. (Appeeling, get it?)

…Aw, kwitcher groaning, it’s HA’s blog.

…These bouquets—with carved fruit in place of flowers—are meant to be fun and a little healthy, maybe.

…They also feed 2-4 people.

….Since 1999, an early company, Edible Arrangements, has gone global with 800 retail stores.

….The stalwarts at WSJ compared some offerings. (All are about $100 delivered.)

…All say they use the best fruit—but sometimes the less ripe versions are stronger and more structural. So: Weird green cantaloupe warning.

…Another one was way too elaborate. It was bursting with every munchable imaginable. “Not romantic,” sniffed one reviewer. (Hey, maybe it would be for a huge fruit-o-philiac)

…Others went nuts putting in touches—such as teachery stuff for a teacher, such as a pot made of blackboard material.

…The testers tended to like the chocolate touches, though, such as chocolate coated Franny Smith apple slices.

…Edible Arrangements’ chocolate covered bananas elicited raves.

…If there is no store nearby to send over your arrangement, you can opt for dried fruit.

…Is it HA, or do dried apricots look like little ears?

Booze may prevent disability in seniors

2009-01-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

…We have all heard that red wine in moderation can be good for the heart, but now some researchers think moderate consumption of alcohol can help prevent creeping disabilities.

…This is UCLA, not University of Wishful Thinking, so listen up. First, they say, you have to start with reasonably good health. Then they looked at three batches of past information from govt sources.

…Drinkers were called light to moderate if they consumed less than 15 drinks a week (less for women).

…Physical disability was described as having trouble dressing, grooming, maintaining hygiene, arising from a chair and so on.

...Participants were asked if they had experienced no difficulty, some, or were unable to do these things.

…The upshot was that light to moderate drinkers in good health had a statistically significant lower risk of disabilities when other factors were winnowed out. The drinkers also had a reduced risk of dying in five years.

…BUT…of course…if you were too far into the disability area, taking up drinking might be a poor option. Right when you need it!

…HA is not sure she is buying this totally, but she'll drink to it. Salud!

Youch! Nippy

2009-01-21T05:35:00.000-08:00

…It’s not just mountain climbers covered by avalanches who get frostbite.

…The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons warns against having just too much fun outside and losing a toe or something.

…Below 20 degrees F and the wind is 20 mph or more, the skin can get frostbitten in a few minutes.

….Hands, fingers, feet, toes and ears are especially at risk.

…If your skin feels numb or is hard or frozen and waxy or white, yipes!

…Dress appropriately, the docs advise. Light, loose, layered clothing. Top your outfit with a water repellent outer garment.

…Head coverings are important.

…Check yourself every so often for frostbite—if you are numb or waxy, get indoors.

…If you think you are frostbitten, get to a warm room and call for assistance. Drink warm drinks.

…Rest the bad areas—elevate feet.

…Warm up by immersing in warm (NOT HOT) water. The area may swell or change color.

…Do not rub on snow.

…Do not use dry heat like a radiator, heating pad or sunlamp. You could get burned that way.

…Alternate approach: Stay inside. Maybe a nice toddy.

"Survivors" with spare legs

2009-01-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

…Josh Shaffer, McClatchy Newspapers, writes that increasingly people are listing their pets as survivors when they die and get an obit.

…Hey, when newspapers finally expire, where will we get obits—www.BummerDude.com?

…Anyhow, dogs and kitties are now mourners and “grievers” worth noting.

…Sir Rufus was a tuxedo cat and cherished by a woman in Durham, NC. He's mentioned in her obit.

…Some lawyers defend animals that people try to cut out of wills.

…People are too busy to be friends—but animals make time.

…Dogs do get pretty quiet and depressed when their owners die—this could be considered grieving.

…One guy listed a pig as his survivor. Presumably a four-legged one.

…Another put five pets next to hubs and the kids.

…HA can see this…and may do it. Animals are nicer than a lot of people and hardly ever steal or lie.

…Well, raccoons maybe. They can be tricky.

If you had it to do over

2009-01-19T05:50:00.000-08:00

…Neal Templin has a column on the WSJ blog called Cheapskate or something like that. Check it out: http://wsj.com/Wallet. It’s in on Mondays.

…It’s sort of funny and sort of serious about helping you save money.

…Templin had a column in the paper (Jan 15, 2009), in which he reminisced about the dumbest things he ever did. (HA does that daily—she has it on a loop.)

…One thing that seems to haunt this guy is when he was carrying a giant bag of dog food and tripped. Quick! Drop the food and break his fall or hold onto the $15 bag and take out his left kneecap?

…Yup—held on.

…In another genius move, he decided to save money by not fronting cash to get the rest of his roof repaired when a wind storm took out half (the insurance company paid for that part). Well, when it came time to sell the house, he had to give a huge credit to the buyers because half the roof was decrepit.

…Another time, he and his Mom went fishing and added some dead fish they found on the dock to their catch, then thought, ewww, those could have gone bad.

…Dock kill? Is it HA or is this guy a little…er, offbeat?

….What’s more—the dog, an eager beagle, took advantage of his lying there in pain, and gobbled as much food from the broken bag as he could.

…That could have been quite a vet bill—financial insult to physical injury. Lucked out on that one. Picking a beagle was smart.

Health for lazy people

2009-01-16T05:50:00.000-08:00

…If writing out resolutions makes you need a nap, the experts at the Dana-Farber Cancer Center have some tips for even the giantest of couch muffins.

…Mmmmm, muffins.

…HA! Focus!

…OK, first, get walking. Yup, that one has been around. Exercise can also help prevent recurrence of cancer.

…You can also use the stairs, ride a bike, dance, play a team sport, or use a stationary bike when you watch TV (or listen to audio books, HA’s passion). Well, maybe YOU can.

…OK, here’s an easier one. Eat an apple a day. We all want to keep you-know-whos away, right? Apples are loaded with antioxidants. These can reduce risk of breast, mouth, and colorectal cancer.

…Eat pumpkin, carrots and other orange stuff. HA had carrots for lunch—not a huge fan.

…Of course—quit smoking. This causes 80% of bad diseases. You have heard it all.

…The Four D’s for quitting the evil weed: Deep breaths, drink water, do something to distract yourself, and delay reaching for a cig.

…Limit alcohol. Well, for HA, the economy has done that. But postmeno women who drink more than one drink a day are at increased risk of breast cancer.

…Maybe the apple thing…start small…?

Good old pap test

2009-01-15T05:48:00.000-08:00

…Like so many conditions, you don’t want cervical cancer. HA doesn’t do “months,” but if she did, she might mention that January is the one for cervical cancer.

…The Pap test, named after a Greek doctor, gets cells from the area to be examined for changes that show cancer.

…Every adult woman knows about this—cold steel stuff in ya, rummaging around, etc.

…Andrea Milbourne, MD, professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center at the Univ of Texas, says there are six things you need to know about this test.

…Number 1. If you start getting more sexually active (lucky in the parlance), you are at increased need of a test. Sex can bring Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is strongly associated with cervical cancer. Even condoms don’t keep all the HPV out.

…Number 2. The HPV vaccine is in addition to the pap test and not as a substitute for it. Young woman can look into getting the vaccine, but should not let it give them a false sense of security. It also does not protect against all forms of HPV.

…Number 3. You need to “prepare” for your pap test. Avoid douching or using medicines or anti-spermicidal foams for 48 hours. Do not have sex for 48 hours. If your period starts, reschedule.

…Number 4. A woman is never too old to get a pap test. Even if you are over 65, if you are sexually active, get the test each year.

…Number 5. Money should not prevent your getting a pap test. To get a free or low cost test, call 1-800-CANCER.

…Number 6. Before the pap test, cervical cancer was a leading cause of death in American women. Between 1975 and 1992, death from it dropped 74 percent, thanks to the test, although cervical cancer is till the second largest cause of female cancer deaths worldwide.

…Ask your doctor if you are getting the Thin Prep Pap Test—it is more likely to get a sample containing abnormal cells if indeed they are present.

…Yeah, going to the gynecologist sucks, but not going can suck worse.

Roaming surgeons

2009-01-14T05:43:00.000-08:00

…According to the WSJ (January 13, 2009), some surgeons, unable to keep their practices going in today’s economy and reimbursement environment, are hitting the road.

…One, based in Tenn, closed her practice after eight years and now travels the country doing operations in smaller hospitals and towns.

…Nurses have done this for awhile, now doctors are. For one thing, their per capita income is down 25% from balmier times.

…General surgery is also less popular as a specialty.

…One in 20 general surgeons is now a temp. But don’t cry too loudly for them—they make $250K, twice what they made before circulating.

…Of course, there are tradeoffs. A surgeon who comes into town to do some surgeries isn’t wired in, doesn’t know the hospital staff or procedures. He or she may not be available for followup visits, which are very important.

…The temps counter this by saying they are not distracted by office woes.

…The hospital is also paying. This can amount to $1500 a day per surgeon.

…A temp costs twice as much as a permanent doctor.

…The American College of Surgeons has condemned “itinerants.” It has not issued guidelines but urges temps to make sure another surgeon oversees followup.

…The doctor featured in the story said she was very careful to tell the patient she would only be there for a few more hours, but Dr. So-and-So would be there if the patient needed him or her.

…Well, post-op, patients do need a surgeon. HA is iffy on this—more of "As the World Turns on Us," she guesses.